We travel through Guyana’s rainforest to Rupununi Savannah, spotting wildlife.

This birdwatching tour combines an incredible variety and quantity of birds with the chance to stay in remote ranches.

Guyana is a truly off-the-beaten track destination and it is not surprising that much of its flora and fauna is still unspoiled.

We set out to admire Guyana’s colourful world of birds in their natural habitat, led by expert bird spotting guides.

There is a mix of rainforest, neo-tropical and savannah birds to keep an eye out for.

More on Rupununi Savannah tour

The tour starts with a flight over the Demerara and Essequibo rivers to the Kaieteur Falls. Marvel at the world’s highest free-falling waterfall and take a dip in the natural Jacuzzis of the nearby Orinduik Falls.

We then head off deep into the interior by 4wd to Iwokrama International Centre where we explore the rainforest with a local ranger.

Some of the birds we will hope to find are Blue-cheeked Parrot, Crimson Topaz and Guianan Toucanet.

Explore the rainforest, high up in the canopy and wake to the sounds of the birds around you.

Discover Mori Scrub, characterized by an unusual low, sandy forest and find an interesting range of bird species, among them Rufous-crowned Elaenia, Black Manakin and Red-shouldered Tanager.

Experience the Savannah and its many different bird species that you can watch out in the open country, with plenty of time on your hands.

We travel on foot, by 4×4 and by canoe to get close to wildlife and stay in lovely lodges, hammock camps and on the Savannah’s great ranches.



Trip Highlights

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  • Travel through various eco-systems, spotting a wide variety of birds.

  • Expert, local guides help you to see birds and wildlife.

  • A variety of accommodations throughout, bringing you close to the real Guyana.

  • Private tour with flexible itinerary, perfect for bird watchers.

Seeing the Cock-of-the-Rock was a fantastic spectacle. The whole group was delighted to spot a rare Antpitta, too.

T. Shearman, Guyana

Full Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Guyana, Georgetown, transfer to hotel

Arrive in Guyana and transfer to Georgetown.

Overnight at Cara Lodge, a 150-year-old heritage building converted into a beautiful small hotel.

Day 2: Kaiteur Falls & Orinduik Falls, return to Georgetown, hotel (B,L)

We leave Georgetown for the day and fly by chartered aircraft over the Demerara and Essequibo Rivers and hundreds of miles of unbroken tropical rainforest to land at Kaieteur, the world’s highest single drop waterfall.

The Kaieteur Falls are a single, massive, thundering cataract 100 metres wide created as the Potaro River makes a sheer drop of 228 metres, nearly five times the height of Niagara.

The spectacle is the more impressive for its remoteness and it is even possible that we’ll be the only persons viewing it.

Here we will hope to find White-chinned and White-tipped Swifts swirling over the gorge, and perhaps we’ll be lucky enough to see the astonishingly colorful Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock.

Taking off again, we’ll continue to the Brazilian border and Orinduik Falls, where the Ireng River thunders over steps and terraces of solid jasper, a semi precious stone. With a backdrop of the rolling grass covered hills of the Pakaraima Mountains, this is truly one of the most beautiful locations in Guyana’s hinterland.

We return to Georgetown and overnight at Cara Lodge.

Day 3: 4x4 to Iwokrama, lodge (B,L,D)

After breakfast we are off by 4×4 through the rainforest and heart of Guyana to the Essequibo River and the Iwokrama Field Station, where we will spend the next two nights.

In the late afternoon we’ll take a walk on the Screaming Piha Trail near the Field Station. Some of the birds we will hope to find at Iwokrama are Blue-cheeked Parrot, Crimson Topaz and Guianan Toucanet.

Overnight at Iwokrama Field Station.

Day 4: Turtle mountain & Iwokrama, lodge (B,L,D)

It’s an early start as we embark on the Essequibo River and circumnavigate nearby Indian House Island.

We return to the Field Station for breakfast, then travel once more by boat for half an hour or less to the foot of Turtle Mountain.

Here we’ll explore the trail, visiting Turtle Ponds and climbing to an elevation of about 900 feet for a spectacular view of the forest canopy below.

After lunch we’ll visit Fair View, a nearby Amerindian village and finally, after dark, we’ll set out on the river once more, hoping to spot caimans and listening for the voices of nocturnal birds.

Overnight at Iwokrama Field Station.

Day 5: Iwokrama & canopy walkway, Atta rainforest lodge (B,L,D)

This morning we’ll walk on Woodcreeper and Greenheart Trails, near the Field Station. The first hour or more will be an experience almost entirely for the ears, listening to forest birds as they sing in near darkness, but ultimately, with stronger light, we should be able to see some of them.

After lunch travel along the trail where there is a good chance to see the elusive Jaguar.

The Iwokrama forest is rapidly gaining an international reputation for its healthy jaguar populations that seem not to be troubled by the appearance of curious humans. No promises, but many have been lucky!

Eventually we reach the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway. Here we can bird watch from 35m up in the canopy. After dinner we return to the walkway to experience the canopy at night.

Overnight in Iwokrama Atta Rainforest Lodge.

Day 6: 4x4 to Rock View lodge (B,L,D)

We are woken by the dawn chorus from the canopy walkway. After breakfast we’ll travel to the Mori Scrub, spending the morning exploring a very particular and unusual habitat: a low, sandy forest with little or no grass cover.

This scrubland supports a distinctive assemblage of bird species, among them Rufous-crowned Elaenia, Black Manakin and Red-shouldered Tanager.

In the afternoon we’ll continue our journey to the Rupununi and Rock View Lodge in Annai. The Rupununi Savannah is to Guyana what the Gran Sabana is to Venezuela, an extensive area of grassland with termite mounds and scattered or riparian woodland. Needless to say, the birdlife here is remarkably different from that of the rainforest.

Overnight at Rock View Lodge.

Day 7: Pakaraima foothills & Rock View lodge (B,L,D)

With its tropical gardens and flowering trees, our lodge resembles an oasis in the savannah, and attracts many species of birds, particularly nectar feeders and frugivores.

Nearby patches of light forest are home to certain antbirds and flycatchers, and of course the grasslands support an avifauna of their own.

We’ll explore the area on foot, and as the afternoon cools we’ll travel a short distance for birdwatching in the Pakaraima foothills.

Overnight at Rock View Lodge.

Day 8: Rupununi river to Karanambu Ranch (B,L,D)

The morning’s first flurry of avian activity wakes us and after breakfast we leave by 4×4 to Ginep Landing and the Rupununi River, where we’ll embark for the boat trip upstream to Karanambu Ranch. This was the home of Diane McTurk, who passed away in 2016, and widely known for work rehabilitating orphaned Giant River Otters.

Our birdwatching here will be largely in woodland patches or gallery forest along the river, where we’ll hope to see such species as Spotted Puffbird, Striped Woodcreeper and Pale-bellied Tyrant-Manakin. When water levels are appropriate a wooded swamp near the ranch is the site of a surprisingly large colony of Boat-billed Herons, and at any season the river and airstrip provide habitat for no fewer than eight species of nightjars.

Overnight at Karanambu Ranch.

Day 9: Karanambu Ranch (B,L,D)

Birdwatching from daybreak to nightfall or later, we’ll devote this entire day to exploring Karanambu and its varied habitats, traveling by boat to certain localities up and downstream, and by Land Rover to one or another forest patch.

Double-striped Thick-knees are among the sparse inhabitants of the grasslands, and at widely scattered ponds we may find concentrations of storks and other waterbirds.

Overnight at Karanambu Ranch.

Day 10: Pirara creek & Manari Ranch (B,L,D)

A new day awaits and today we’ll journey overland southward to Manari Ranch, stopping at certain wet areas along the road, visiting Pirara Creek and having a picnic lunch at Pirara Ranch.

This should be an exciting day of unhurried travel and open-country birdwatching, with many herons, storks and raptors.

The evening may afford an enjoyable hour or so among tall palms and mango trees near our quarters, or out in the grasslands where after sunset we may see several species of nighthawks.

Overnight at Manari Ranch.

Day 11: Dadanawa Ranch and Mountain Point (B,L,D)

We travel further south, towards Lethem, the Rupununi’s principal town, situated just across the Takutu River from Brazil.

We’ll break our journey to look at some marshy ponds near Makusi Village before continuing toward Dadanawa Ranch. This is the largest ranch in Guyana, covering 1,700 square miles, and our first night will be at Mountain Point, the home of Shirley Humphrys, about ten miles from the main ranch buildings.

Set in the midst of vast emptiness, it is surrounded by gently rolling savannah with tawny grasses and the twisted, fire-blackened trunks of Curatella or “sandpaper” trees, and dominated by the low peaks of the Kanuku Mountains to the north and to the south by the steep spires of outlying Dukban and Shiriri.

The weathered building seems altogether improbable here yet gives the impression of having endured forever with its thatched roof and tiny orchard, and the birds frequenting this little oasis have grown almost fearless, even the normally timid ground-doves. After settling in we’ll take a walk to a shallow reedy pond and narrow strip of light forest nearby.

Overnight at Mountain Point.

Day 12: Sawariwan river & Dadanawa Ranch (B,L,D)

We’ll spend this morning birdwatching around the pond and visiting the nearby Sawariwau River. Later on we’ll make the short trip to Dadanawa Ranch, a cluster of raised wooden buildings surmounted by a towering Brazil nut tree and more or less surrounded by low gallery forest along the Rupununi River.

From here we’ll travel eastward and pass several shallow ponds before reaching Towa Towan, a high, rounded outcrop of blackened granite with a Jabiru nest near the summit and a small pond at the base with dense mucca mucca, a giant arum.

We’ll look for certain flycatchers in surrounding Curatella glades and in late afternoon we’ll hope to see nighthawks on the wing and witness the roosting of Yellow-crowned Parrots.

Overnight at Dadanawa Ranch.

Day 13: Land Rover tour & Dadanawa Ranch (B,L,D)

Today we’re off on an all-day trip to some of the ranch’s outstations and several extraordinarily beautiful sites, with lightly forested mountainsides and high, black domes.

We should see a variety of raptors and other open-country birds, but our particular object will be Red Siskin, recently found to occur here. Our route may also permit us to visit a “bush island”, or isolated patch of heavier forest, home to an interesting aggregation of bird species.

Overnight at Dadanawa Ranch.

Day 14: Takutu river & Manari Ranch (B,L,D)

We’ll have time this morning to explore riparian woodland and thickets near the ranch, as well as the muddy margins of a shallow pond and some paddocks that may contain standing water.

After lunch we’ll retrace our steps to Lethem, birdwatching en route at several localities near the Takutu River.

Overnight at Manari Ranch.

Day 15: Fly Georgetown & city tour (B,L)

Morning birding on the savannah and along the river before flying to Georgetown. This afternoon we’ll take a tour of the city to see its extraordinary wooden architecture and to shop at its exciting markets and craft shops.

We’ll conclude at the extensive and beautiful Botanic Garden, where, if we are lucky, the trip’s ornithological finale will be Blood-colored Woodpecker, an astonishingly colorful Veniliornis found only in the Guianas and even there almost wholly limited to the narrow coastal plain.

Overnight at Cara Lodge.

Day 16: Transfer to airport, tour ends (B)

Transfer to the airport for your departing flight.


Prices From $7,000 / £5,691 per person

Enquire about booking

What's Included?

In most cases we will have double or twin rooms with private facilities. Mountain Point and Iwokrama dormitory accommodation with shared facilities. Camping equipment, meals whilst out of town, internal transport, local guides, tour leader.

What's Not Included?

International flights (we can look for these), insurance, tips, alcoholic or soft drinks, personal items, meals not listed


Accommodation

Being mainly rainforest, you will sleep in beds surrounded by mosquito nets. Rooms are comfortable and spacious but please note that in remote locations, such as Karanambu and Surama, insects can enter the rooms at night. Your guide will give any advice or help if you are concerned.

Sleeping within the rainforest and savannah is a fantastic experience, and comes as second nature after a day or two.

 

Rainforest and savannah lodges

Guyana has only a handful of lodges in its rainforests and savannahs, and most of these are small and remote establishments with fewer than a dozen beds. Some – like RewaSurama, and Maipaima – are run by the local Amerindian villagers who turn your visit into something like a homestay experience.

Others – like Karanambu – are captained by British expats who have carved out a slice of unexpected comfort in an otherwise rugged environment.

Others yet – such as Caiman House, Atta Rainforest Lodge, and Iwokrama River Lodge – have a strong science and nature focus and provide amply comfortable hospitality as well as a chance to learn about the vivid surrounding ecosystems.

Running water and at least a few hours of electricity are available at each lodge, and amenities are always clean and comfortable.

While no one comes to Guyana looking for a luxury travel experience, welcome creature comforts are on offer at the charming colonial boutique Cara Lodge in Georgetown as well as the storied Pegasus on the city’s northwest corner.

Meanwhile, Baganara Island on the Essequibo delights visitors with a host of recreational and relaxation opportunities. Georgetown’s newest international-class hotel, the Georgetown Marriott, opened its doors in 2015.

Tour Staff

A variety of expert guides may accompany on this tour, all of whom have many years’ experience and plenty of enthusiasm to make sure your trip is a great one.

Below are a few of the guides.

 

Wally Prince: Unrivalled expertise and experience leading tours and teams in Guyana.

Wally is one of the most sought-after guides for professional birders, documentary teams, and scientific expeditions visiting Guyana. He served for seven years as the guide coordinator, resident wildlife biologist, chief trainer, and operations manager at Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development. He has identified more than 700 of the 800+ bird species recorded in Guyana and is intimately familiar with their habitats, behaviours, vocalisations, and mating rituals. He grew up wandering through Guyana’s lush and biodiverse interior.

 

Gary Sway: Amerindian, Expert Naturalist

Gary Sway is a Macushi Amerindian from the village of Surama. Having grown up in the rainforest he has a great understanding and affinity for his natural surroundings and the wildlife. He has been a guide at Surama Eco-lodge for nearly 15 years and is well loved by those who have explored and seen the rainforest through his eyes. Gary is also an experienced birding guide and has represented Guyana at the Bird Expo in Columbus Ohio, USA. His patience and keen eye means great rewards for those birding with him. In his spare time Gary is a leading player in the Surama Makushi culture group.

 

Nadir (Carlos) Allie: Guide, Bird Expert

Nadir (Carlos) Allie was originally from the west coast of the ancient county of Berbice. His family were rice farmers, but Carlos did not want to follow this path, and moved to Georgetown to learn his father’s profession and became a tailor. From an early age Carlos always had a love and passion for birds. He never joined the other boys in trying to shoot them with a slingshot, preferring to rescue and care for the injured ones.

In Georgetown, through his love of birds he became friends with Andy Narine and together they formed the Guyana Amazon Tropical Birds Society (GATBS). Through GATBS, Carlos was able to get involved in many different projects including bird counts for some of the interior lodges, and also collecting information on the avifauna of Guyana for a new Guyana bird list. Over the years Carlos has become an experienced bird guide, leading tours to Guyana’s top birding locations especially along the coastlands where he was born and continues to live. Carlos loves to share his passion and love of birds with visitors and locals whenever he gets the opportunity. He is especially fond of leading tours of the Botanical Gardens in Georgetown.


Meals

Almost all dietary requirements can be catered for – please enquire in advance as we have to organise supplied.

Whilst on tour the food is of a very good standard with fresh beef, chicken and fish and plenty of vegetables and fruit.

On camping trips/in remote areas, use is made of dried and salted produce, supplemented by fishing.

The blend of different ethnic influences – Indian, African, Chinese, Creole, English, Portuguese, Amerindian, North American – gives a distinctive flavour to Guyanese cuisine.

Try dishes such as Pepper Pot, meat cooked in casareep (bitter casava) juice with peppers and herbs. Garlic pork, a specialty at Christmas.  Curry and Roti is popular everywhere. Seafood is plentiful and varied, as is the wide variety of tropical fruit and vegetables. Try casava and yams.

Rum is the most popular drink and Guyana blends some of the worlds best. There are many inexpensive rums that are an excellent rum with mixers. The better rums such as Banks Extra, Banks XM 10 Year and DDL’s 12 year old King of Diamonds are smooth rums and great straight or on the rocks. DDL’s 15 year old El Dorado was voted the best rum in the world in 1999, 2000 and 2001, and is as smooth as a good brandy. The local Banks Beer is a good beer.

The water from the tap is brownish in colour, which is from the tannin in the water, and not polluted. However, it is recommended that bottled water, which is readily available, is used for drinking. Remember to drink plenty of it to prevent dehydration as it does get humid in Guyana.

Activity Level

You need to be have a reasonable level of walking fitness to hike to the prime bird watching points, as well as the patience and ability to sit for some time while the guide finds/calls to birds.

Most days you will walk for a couple of hours, spotting wildlife. The humidity can make a short walk feel a lot harder than it is, and take on board lots of water.

The trip is open to anyone who wants to experience the rainforest and who wants to be active and interesting without it being demanding or without time to relax. An interest in bird spotting is recommended.

Transport could be by dug out canoe, 4×4, light Cessna plane or on foot. Guyana is a fantastic place to travel around as adventure awaits on every corner.

After lunch, we undertake another activity, or move to new lodgings, settle in, and then head out at dusk to see the wildlife once more.

Night walks are possible in some areas – or you may choose to relax – then it is dinner and time to recount the day’s highlights.

Enquire about booking

Practical Information

Introduction to Guyana

Guyana is the only English-speaking country on the South American continent and has a Caribbean feel. 

It is a destination for the nature lover looking for an off-the-beaten-path destination with many attractions. Guyana offers pristine rainforest, abundant wildlife, jaguars and the mighty Kaieteur Falls.

Start your adventure in the melting pot that is the country’s capital – Georgetown. Here Hindu, Muslim and Christian cultures blend in harmony.

Head off to visit the breathtaking Kaieteur Falls – the  world’s highest single-drop waterfall.

Then the interior beckons. Jungle and Savannah await. With luck you might spot the Cock o’ the rock or a harpy eagle.

Bigger mammals such as the ant eater might surprise you or if incredibly lucky the mighty jaguar. Travel by road or river and stay in rustic but comfortable lodges – all with an authentic Guyanese welcome.

Guyana will be an unforgettable adventure.  

Geography of Guyana

Guyana has five natural habitats to discover, the most famous of which is is its dense rain forest.

This ‘jungle’ is also known as the Forested Highland Region and is in the south of the country, and is very sparsely populated.

The majority (around 90%) of Guyana’s population lives in a marshy plain on the Atlantic coast, known as the low coastal plain.

 

Most of the country’s mineral deposits (bauxite, gold, diamonds) are found a little further inshore in that is called the white sand belt.

The south west of the country gives way to a desert savannah which then becomes an interior savannah.

From here, the grasslands and mountains of the interior highlands start to rise towards the borders with Brazil and Venezuela.

This is the largest of Guyana’s geographical areas and consists a series of plateaus, flat-topped mountains, and savannahs.

The Pakaraima Mountains dominate the western part of the interior highlands and include Mount Roraima, Guyana’s highest peak at 2,772m (9,094 ft) on the Venezuelan border.

 

The largest expanse of grassland, the Rupununi Savannah, covers about 15,000 square kilometres in southern Guyana.

Guyana has three large rivers, the Essequibo at 1,010km(628 miles), the Courantyne River (which forms a natural border with Suriname) at 724kms (450 miles), and the Berbice – 595kms (370 miles).

Weather in Guyana

Guyana is a hot and humid country. February and March are prime times to visit, along with Aug-Jan. Read our guide to Guyana’s weather for more.

The mean shade temperature is 27°C, while maximum is 31°C and the minimum is 24°C. The heat is greatly tempered by cooling breezes from the sea.

There are two wet seasons in the north of the country, from May to June, and from December to January.

The south and the Rupununi region receive one wet season from May to July.

All wet seasons may extend into months either side.

Rainfall averages 2,300 mm a year in Georgetown.

Kit list

Good kit is vital for every trip.

Book with Andean Trails and get 15% off Páramo’s fantastic ethical and high performance outdoor gear.

 

Overview

Guyana is a hot and humid country.

Take sunscreen, sun glasses and a hat to Guyana.

It can rain at any time, so always have a poncho/waterproof jacket handy.

Give plenty of thought to kit selection, and try to keep weight down.

Passenger/s traveling on internal flights in Guyana are allowed a free baggage allowance of 20lbs/9.1KG exceeding this weight passenger/s will incur a cost of GY$150.00 (price subject to change) equivalent to US$ 0.77cents per pound. Please note that additional baggage allowance is subject to availability and cannot be confirmed until day/time of check-in by the airline.  We can book excess weight on your behalf but it is subject to being within the payload of the aircraft and at the discretion of the airline. We understand you may want more than 20lbs/9.1KG of baggage and wish to have guaranteed excess baggage/weight and so an alternative is to pre-book an extra seat on the flight which will afford you 175lbs/79.4KG for you to use individually or for your group. 

Below is a more detailed guide.

 

Detailed kit list

  • Good binoculars.
  • Camera and film / memory cards (take at least twice the amount you think you will need!).
  • Tight-weave, light weight long trousers.
  • Quick dry socks.
  • Rain suit or long poncho (100% waterproof – test before you leave home).
  • Long-sleeved tight-weave shirts.
  • T-shirts.
  • A warm jumper – it can feel cold on some boat journeys.
  • Water bottle (2 litres approx.) & purification tablets.
  • Sun cream (high factor, min. 30+) and lip salve.
  • A broad-brimmed hat that will not come off on windy boat-rides.
  • Shorts.
  • Sunglasses with UV filter.
  • A pair of trainers.
  • Ankle high hiking boots.
  • Insect repellent.
  • The original and a photocopy of your passport.
  • Yellow fever inoculation certificate.
  • A large, bright head torch, spare batteries and bulb.
  • Cash (small denomination bills, USD or GBP sterling) for souvenirs at the lodge, alcoholic beverages, etc.
  • Daypack (at least 30 litres). Comfortable and with waterproof lining or cover.
  • Personal first-aid kit to include: painkillers, plasters (band-aids), moleskin, antibiotic cream, general antibiotics (ask your GP), after-bite (tiger balm), anti-diarrhoea tablets, throat lozenges, re-hydration salts & personal medication.
  • Towel & wash-kit.
  • Wet Wipes/antiseptic hand-wash cream.
  • Head-lamp (plus spare bulb and batteries).
  • Penknife.
  • Travel alarm clock.
  • Plastic bags – ‘Zip-loc’ & tough bin liners.
  • Book, e-book, mp3 player/ipod or other to help pass the time.
  • Extra snacks i.e. cereal bars or favourite chocolate bars.

 

Miscellaneous others

  • Money belt.
  • Passport.
  • U.S. dollars / GBP sterling cash, mixed-denomination notes, undamaged and unmarked.
  • ATM cash/credit card.
  • Any inoculation certificates.
  • Personal & medical insurance certificates.
  • Presents e.g. Postcards from home.
  • Comfortable clothes for travel, smart clothes for Georgetown

ATOL holiday protection

Andean Trails has 25 years of experience of putting together the best South America holidays.

We pay a fee to the CAA for every licensable passenger we book since we hold an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking.

We also offer ATOL (Civil Aviation Authority) protected holidays to give our customers peace of mind when booking and travelling.

When you buy an ATOL protected air holiday package from Andean Trails Ltd you will receive a Confirmation Invoice from us confirming your arrangements and your protection under our Air Travel Organiser’s Licence number 6275.

You can read more about ATOL, who is covered and what protections you have if not ATOL-covered, on our ATOL page.

 

What is ATOL?

The CAA’s ATOL scheme offers protection to your money and your holiday if you book with us. Not everybody is covered (see ‘Who is covered?’ for more), as you must purchase an ‘air package holiday’ with Andean Trails to be protected.

And  ‘air package holiday’ is defined as including a flight and some ground services (hotel, transfer, trek etc). This is also known as an ‘ATOL-protected holiday’.

 

Who is covered?

To be covered by ATOL, you must book a flight and some ground services with us and be from the UK. If you are from the UK and only book ground services and no flights, you are not covered by ATOL (see below for more on how non-ATOL clients are covered).

If you are outside the UK and buy flights with us, you will be ATOL protected IF any of the flights booked with Andean Trails touches/stops in the UK at any point during your holiday package booked with us.

If you buy your flights elsewhere, please check with that agent if you are ATOL protected. Be careful with online flight purchases and make sure you know what protection you have, if any, before paying for flights.

Not all holiday or travel services offered and sold by us will be protected by the ATOL scheme. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking.

For land only holidays not involving any air travel, in accordance with “The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992”, all UK passengers booking with Andean Trails Ltd. are fully protected for the initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all money paid to us, arising from cancellation or curtailment of travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Andean Trails.

 

I’m not ATOL covered, what protection do I have?

If you are not ATOL covered, any payments you make to us go to a Trust account.

We can only access this money once your tour has been completed, meaning that if anything happens to Andean Trails Limited while you are on holiday, then your money is secure and you can either complete the trip or be able to make it home.

If you pay for your holiday with a credit card, some offer payment protection – please check with your cardholder.

You also should have cancellation protection written into your insurance (which we recommend you have at the time of booking) in case you need to cancel.


Atta rainforest lodge, Guyana

Get up into the trees like monkeys at Atta Lodge, for some up close and personal wildlife viewing.

The major attraction here is a 154m/505ft long canopy walkway, with four platforms some up to 30m into the canopy.

An array of birds and animals you struggle to see from the forest floor soon zoom into view.

Among these are endangered and protected species such as the jaguar, the bullet wood tree, greenheart and the waramadan (endemic in Guyana only to the Iwokrama Forest).

The lodge provides comfortable accommodation with 8 private rooms, three home-cooked meals per day, and ample opportunities to explore the surrounding rainforest by foot, canoe, or 4X4.

Caiman House, Guyana

You’ll need to keep quiet in your kayak as you help researchers from Caiman House search and tag black caiman at night time.

By staying here, you’ll get an inside look at the work of those trying to protect this endangered species.

You can help to collect the data of any captured caiman – some reaching up to 12 feet in length! – before they are released back into the wild.

Caiman House is once-in-a-lifetime and thrilling part to any tour of Guyana, especially for wildlife enthusiasts who can also look out for snakes, frogs, bird spiders and more

 

Georgetown, Guyana

The Atlantic gateway to Guyana, Georgetown is a fascinating mix of people, history fusions.

The ex-British colony contains influences from Amerindians, Asia, Brazil and more, making it a lively and welcoming destination.

The Natural History Museum is well worth a visit, as well as the world’s largest wooden cathedral and the thrumming market.

English is widely spoken and friendly local people are normally up for a chat about the unique atmosphere of Georgetown.

Iwokrama Field Station , Guyana

Deep into Guyana’s enormous rainforest lies Iwokrama, a one million acre wilderness full of wildlife.

Birds, trees frogs and the elusive puma live in the forests, whose verdant canopy you can enjoy from the Turtle Mountain vantage point.

The area is protected and known as Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation, with the full involvement of the local people.

You can see their history in the Amerindian petroglyphs close to some rivers, a fascinating insight into how animals and humans have coexisted for centuries in this pristine rainforest.

Kaieteur Falls, Guyana

Flying over the jungle canopy, the views confirm that there are no other falls in the world with the magnitude of the sheer drop existing at Kaieteur.

Being so remote, you can walk right up to the flowing water, which gushes 822 feet into a deep and forested gorge.

Look for Golden frogs, unique to a tiny area, living in bromeliads growing in the warm, humid air.

Most likely your group will be the only souls in this remote location, adding to its incredible appeal.

Karanambu Ranch, Guyana

Famous for rescuing orphaned giant river otters, Karanambu also represents the spirit of travel of old.

An outpost, miles from civilisation, there’s a warm welcome and great wildlife.

See the giant Victoria Regis water lily bloom at dusk, or cruise the river looking for giant otters and caiman.

If you wake early enough, you may be able to find a giant anteater snaffling around for a treat.

Sadly, Diane McTurk is no longer with us, but the ranch continues to write its own chapters in the history of conservation.

Roraima Mountains, Guyana

Rumoured to have inspired parts of Conan Doyle’s Lost World book, ‘Tepuys’, or table top mountains, after visiting, it’s easy to see why.

From the sabanna that links Guyana’s western front with Venuzuela, the Tepuys rise dramatically.

They provide unique eco-zones for many species and the lunar-like surface is home to species found nowhere else on earth.

Waterfalls, rapids and rainforest criss-cross the various faces and sections of the Tepuys, making Mount Roraima one of the most acclaimed sights in South America.

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